If you are reading this, you probably need some help playing zone defense in Lacrosse. Without decent defenders, your team will lose.

Ad

Steps

1

Make sure your coach wants you to play zone defense and not man-to-man.

Ad

2

DON'T go chasing after the attacker if he is outside of the box, just wait for him to come in and then you can do what you have to do.

3

When somebody on the other team dodges towards the goal with the ball, push him to the outside lane. Never give up the topside! If you don't think you will have enough time to get to him to check him before he shoots, use your stick's head to mirror his stick's head so he can't get a clear shot or pass.

4

When your team has the ball on the other side of the field, walk up to the mid-line next to the other team's attackers so they can't easily receive a cleared ball.

5

If somebody is directly in front of the net, do everything you can to get him out of there.

6

When you get the ball, clear towards your attackers or midfielders, or if you are behind the net, the goalie is an option, if you don't have a clear lane to run.

7

Don't be ball hungry, relax and allow the other person to do whatever they want with the ball. Then, when they come into your zone, check them or push them. Most times goals are from defenders going for the ball not protecting the goal. There's a big difference between giving space and not covering the ball.

Ad

We could really use your help!

Can you tell us aboutasparagus?

Yes

No

asparagus

how to store asparagus

Can you tell us aboutbok choy?

Yes

No

bok choy

how to prepare bok choy

Can you tell us aboutfashion?

Yes

No

fashion

how to find Spring fashion

Can you tell us aboutacting mature?

Yes

No

acting mature

how to act more grown up

Thanks for helping! Please tell us everything you know about

...

Tell us everything you know here. Remember, more detail is better.

Tips

Provide Details.

Please be as detailed as possible in your explanation. Don't worry about formatting! We'll take care of it.
For example:Don't say: Eat more fats.Do say: Add fats with some nutritional value to the foods you already eat. Try olive oil, butter, avocado, and mayonnaise.

Tips

If the offense calls a play, don't freak out, just do what you are supposed to do.

If you are one-on-one going for a ground ball, nudge the attack or middles stick or hand as they try to follow through the ball if they are ahead of you; these days most offensive players pick up a ball with one hand, making it hard to get the stick because of their body in the way. Nudge their body just before they try to pick the ball up, even if it is just with your stick, which should make them miss the ground ball. If you are beating your man to the ball, PICK IT UP by getting between your man and the ball. It is easier to pick a ground ball up with a d stick than a shorter stick because you don't have to be as close to the ground. You can run through a lacrosse ball much easier without having to stoop down as far. If you can't handle the ball after it is in your D stick, Practice some moves. D man are very effective at clearing if they have a few "go-to" moves to get away from someone.

It is important in any defense to protect the center of the field. Always push a middle with possession to the outside lanes. If it is an attack with the ball, the d-poles should turn the player "inside" once he gets even with the pipe. This guarantees that you won't give up the topside. This allows the goalie to step out and help or gives time for the slide to arrive. This is better than having to defend a topside shot.

Hitting (or poking) their stick with your stick also works well, try hitting the stick head and the bottom hand.

you can also lift the bottom hand so the butt of the stick goes over the head and he will lose the ball.

Don't let anybody with the ball get within 10 yards (9.1 m) of the goal.

You are playing zone, but if you see s man near you, sort of hang on him with your head on a swivel (one look at the ball, one look around yourself for attack men or middies on the other team.)

Poke checking is one of the better ways to keep somebody from bull rushing your zone. Anytime the man with the ball comes close, just send a poke check his way.

Warnings

When going for a loose ball be sure to keep your stick on a straight path to the ball, if someone is hitting you or lifting your stick you may tend to slash your stick around the ball. This is bad because it won't get you the ball, and if you hit someone you can get called for it.

Mirroring a shooters stick head is risky. Use the length of your d-pole to get into the shooters gloves. If possible, lift his bottom hand. If done with enough force, the shot should go high or lose all its power.

Share

Featured Articles

Meet a Community Member

Meet Hibou8, a wikiHowian of two years who is both a New Article Booster and Featured Author. He enjoys boosting new articles and finding articles to help save in the NFD Guardian. His proudest accomplishments are helping new editors find their feet and become great contributors. He appreciates how nice all of the community members on wikiHow are, and he enjoys being able to help with the mission alongside like-minded individuals. To new editors, he advises, dive into the Community Dashboard and start getting used to how we do things. “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes!”